As a British crown colony, the island was known as Ceylon; it achieved independence as the Dominion of Ceylon in 1948. The country is now known in Sinhala as Śrī Laṅkā (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා) and …

3 days ago · Ancient Greek geographers called it Taprobane. Arabs referred to it as Serendib. Later European mapmakers called it Ceylon, a name still used occasionally for trade purposes. It officially …

Dec 12, 2025 · Uncover the historical and political reasons behind the shift from Ceylon to Sri Lanka, and the enduring legacy of the colonial title.

Sri Lanka facts: Official web sites of Sri Lanka, the capital of Sri Lanka, art, culture, history, cities, airlines, embassies, tourist boards and newspapers

Discover why Sri Lanka was once called Ceylon, what the difference is, when the name changed, and what it represents in modern times.

Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, known as Ceylon before 1972, is a predominantly Buddhist island nation in South Asia, located 18 miles (31 km) off the southern coast …

Apr 9, 2019 · Ceylon was a British crown colony that existed from 1815 to 1948 when it was granted independence and became an independent country within the Commonwealth of nations from 1948 …

The United States recognized Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1948. The United States enjoys cordial relations with Sri Lanka that are based, in large part, on shared democratic traditions.

18 hours ago · Radio Ceylon, one of the world’s oldest radio broadcasters, turned 100 last week. At a time when radio was a novelty and decades before TV would transform South Asia’s media …

May 23, 2018 · For 450 years the island of Ceylon (now called Sri Lanka) was the prey of successive naval powers. Colonial conquest of the island was predicated on superior sea power and arms, …